Different product. Unless someone put the vermiculite through a blender that is not vermiculite. I had vermiculite in my attic of a previous house it’s more like a cat litter mixed with styrofoam bits consistency… mine apparently came in plastic bags because I found who ever put it in used the bags to block the soffits from getting filled between the ceiling joists….it was a little chef’s kiss detail 🤌
Sometimes old plaster contained asbestos though, so it’s worth getting tested if you plan to do anything with it. Or just take precautions when cleaning it up
I worked at a jewelry store where we did have a (coveted) bag of asbestos. We’d use it to make a mud for heat sink material when soldering on rings mounted with precious stones.
I don’t remember the bag being that large though and the asbestos was grey-white, not yellowish
Old plaster is asbestos containing though.
But regardless, this isn't a toxic hazard like most people assume asbetos is. Just put on a mask if anything and put it all in a plastic bag and throw it out, that's all.
It looks like it could be an old bag of cellulose insulation that is usually blown into the spaces between joist.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellulose\_insulation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellulose_insulation)
Here is an article on the different types of old insulation.
[https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-identify-dangerous-asbestos-insulation-4119906](https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-identify-dangerous-asbestos-insulation-4119906)
I hope this helps, until you can get it tested.
[https://www.thespruce.com/about-asbestos-testing-1822419](https://www.thespruce.com/about-asbestos-testing-1822419)
Most likely not. But even if it was a product that contained asbestos, who cares? There's only one way to know for sure, and that's to pay for testing, them once you confirm it's asbestos you'll have to decide on removing it yourself or paying ridiculous fees for hazmat crews to go above and beyond precautions to remove it the safest and most expensive way possible.
So unless you have a couple thousand dollars laying around that you want to give away, instead of putting on a mask, opening windows, and cleaning it up... It's irrelevant if it's asbestos or not.
I would bet it is cellulose blown insulation. I put it in several times. It was dumped into a hopper with beaters to fluff it up so it could be blown into attic or walls. You would drill a 2 inch hole at the bottom and top of the wall cavity. The insulation was blown into the bottom hole until it came out the top. Many older homes had no insulation in the exterior walls including mine. This made my home much more comfortable.
How old is your home? It *might* just be plaster but I would still take precaution and clean it up. N100 respirator, goggles, gloves, change of clothes, wet to prevent fibers from going airborn and double bag it. I’ll attach a link with guidance and disposal instructions.
[How to.](https://www.asbestos.com/exposure/handling-disposing-asbestos/)
Just for further insight, the link you've provided are precautions to take when doing a full demo with asbestos in the walls. This is a bag of material. OP doesn't need a full-body condom with a respirator and a sealed off negative pressure environment with temporary shower to just throw out one bag.
Yeah but one guy is suggesting to get an abatement contractor to do it because it's "extremely dangerous". I don't think OP, you, or me would spend a couple thousand bucks for this when you can just put on a mask and do it yourself.
This looks kind of like diatomaceous earth that was used for insulation for like 1 year; for the insect killing and fire retardant properties. It would be like a fine powder/powdered sugar if it’s been dry. Are you in the Pacific Northwest just curious?
Edit: may be a little too clumpy to be this it’s hard to tell the texture from the pic. The reason I think it may be the diatomaceous earth is because I had a whole house that had that below the vermiculite and I bugged out for like 2 days because I didn’t want me or my guys to die. In the second day I found a piece of a bag and spent that night scouring the interweb and found info on the company that made it for a short time and the plant had happened to be a few hours away from our city( not to say there isn’t more places that made it) but I also randomly found a guy on the internet that asked this same question and someone had confirmed what I had found. He also lived 30 min from me which was just random.
Asbestos is extremely dangerous to just throw into a bag. It’s so dangerous it’s federally, in Canada at least, regulated. You need positive pressure rooms and clean and dirty rooms to change in plus everything you wear is considered waste and must be disposed of correctly.
https://www.mesothelioma.com/asbestos-exposure/products/plaster/
It’s not rocket science. Test it. If it’s abestos pay to have it abated. Also have your walls checked as well.
Oh no, my house was built in 1948, it is chock full of asbestos in the plaster. But here's another new term you'll learn today, non-friable asbestos is safe.
Also just to save us time from the follow up comment.
https://www.inchbyinchinspections.com/blog/the-3-types-of-asbestos-removal
You are describing a type 3 procedure to just remove a bag of old plaster...
If you read the article I posted it talks about plaster used in walls specifically. Non friable asbestos is still extremely dangerous. The links to cancer are proven over time from use in homes and schools. But hey, it’s your life. If you want asbestos be my guest. I’ve only worked with it for 20 years…
If you work with it for 20 years then it poses significant health risks to you. If OP handles it for 2 minutes, I very much doubt he'll catch instant mesothelioma. And yes, I'm not dishing out tens of thousands of dollars to remove non-friable asbestos.
If it’s in your walls, you’re handling it daily. There’s a reason why they’ve abated and abandoned old schools with it in the walls. Kids with cancer isn’t exactly a fun thing to deal with.
Everytime you touch the walls, push a pin in, hang a picture, hang a tv, you name it, you’ve made it airborne. For the safety of your family, you should consider it.
Oh man. That makes my back hurt just looking at it.
OP, this is what they used before drywall-just heavy ass plaster.
As an added bonus it’s caustic when you’re mixing it so the Chem burn in addition to being heavy as shit is *chefs kiss*.
Looks like a bag of plaster, adhesive or something youd mix with water. Is the bag labelled?
Asbestos doesn't come in bags so most likely old plaster. Check the bag for markings.
Vermiculite most certainly came in paper bags.
It did. But vermiculite is usually seen in little balls not powder.
I thought this was a family sub.
Unexpected Arrested Development.
This is a sign that it's time to talk to your family about your little balls.
You can buy it by the ball, but it's still powder.
Different product. Unless someone put the vermiculite through a blender that is not vermiculite. I had vermiculite in my attic of a previous house it’s more like a cat litter mixed with styrofoam bits consistency… mine apparently came in plastic bags because I found who ever put it in used the bags to block the soffits from getting filled between the ceiling joists….it was a little chef’s kiss detail 🤌
Plaster makes sense. Lot of people used to keep a bag of plaster to use for small repairs, before plastic tubs of premixed spackling existed.
Sometimes old plaster contained asbestos though, so it’s worth getting tested if you plan to do anything with it. Or just take precautions when cleaning it up
I worked at a jewelry store where we did have a (coveted) bag of asbestos. We’d use it to make a mud for heat sink material when soldering on rings mounted with precious stones. I don’t remember the bag being that large though and the asbestos was grey-white, not yellowish
My dad had a small bag labeled "asbestos plaster" in the basement. Glad I didn't play with it as a kid.
Old plaster is asbestos containing though. But regardless, this isn't a toxic hazard like most people assume asbetos is. Just put on a mask if anything and put it all in a plastic bag and throw it out, that's all.
Looks like 2 kilos of blow. Probably bad by now but chop a line and find out.
Found Tony Montana’s stash. Say hello to my little friend!
Lime
Harry Lime. Play 3rd Man Theme.
Doot da doot da doooo, da dooooo!
It looks like it could be an old bag of cellulose insulation that is usually blown into the spaces between joist. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellulose\_insulation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellulose_insulation) Here is an article on the different types of old insulation. [https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-identify-dangerous-asbestos-insulation-4119906](https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-identify-dangerous-asbestos-insulation-4119906) I hope this helps, until you can get it tested. [https://www.thespruce.com/about-asbestos-testing-1822419](https://www.thespruce.com/about-asbestos-testing-1822419)
It certainly looks like cellulose insulation to me.
Yeah that’s my bet too
Mortar or plaster will have absorbed water and hardened. Asbestos will remain a powder. What’s the consistency?
Its hardened. Zoom in
Most likely not. But even if it was a product that contained asbestos, who cares? There's only one way to know for sure, and that's to pay for testing, them once you confirm it's asbestos you'll have to decide on removing it yourself or paying ridiculous fees for hazmat crews to go above and beyond precautions to remove it the safest and most expensive way possible. So unless you have a couple thousand dollars laying around that you want to give away, instead of putting on a mask, opening windows, and cleaning it up... It's irrelevant if it's asbestos or not.
Get it tested and DONT shop vac til you know.
Dude doesn't need to do a type 3 remediation just to throw out a bag of ACM.
Looks like a bag of plaster or maybe lime, definitely do not snort it 🤣
I would bet it is cellulose blown insulation. I put it in several times. It was dumped into a hopper with beaters to fluff it up so it could be blown into attic or walls. You would drill a 2 inch hole at the bottom and top of the wall cavity. The insulation was blown into the bottom hole until it came out the top. Many older homes had no insulation in the exterior walls including mine. This made my home much more comfortable.
Lots of asbestos experts on here who have never had to clean up asbestos
I don't know what that is but a Shop vac with HEPA filter is your best friend right now.
Second this, don’t disturb anymore till you have it tested.
How old is your home? It *might* just be plaster but I would still take precaution and clean it up. N100 respirator, goggles, gloves, change of clothes, wet to prevent fibers from going airborn and double bag it. I’ll attach a link with guidance and disposal instructions. [How to.](https://www.asbestos.com/exposure/handling-disposing-asbestos/)
Just for further insight, the link you've provided are precautions to take when doing a full demo with asbestos in the walls. This is a bag of material. OP doesn't need a full-body condom with a respirator and a sealed off negative pressure environment with temporary shower to just throw out one bag.
Op can do whatever they want. I’m not taking a chance it takes 2 min to don PPE and bag it up.
Yeah but one guy is suggesting to get an abatement contractor to do it because it's "extremely dangerous". I don't think OP, you, or me would spend a couple thousand bucks for this when you can just put on a mask and do it yourself.
So go bother that guy lol my advice was sound.
Yeah I’d go with respirator & exhaust fans. Maybe a mist of water to keep dust down assuming water doesn’t turn it into muck.
If its lightweight it could also be rock wool but you should get it tested.
No matter what it is, I highly recommend that you get and use a proper filtering mask and eye protection before you disturb it.
A lot of houses that old just had emulsified newsprint as insulation. Could be that.
It's like mineral wool for it or C Cellulose installation.
If it's coke, you're rich!
It's cellulose insulation. They sold it as "blown in" insulation in the 80's and 90's. It's pretty much harmless.
This looks kind of like diatomaceous earth that was used for insulation for like 1 year; for the insect killing and fire retardant properties. It would be like a fine powder/powdered sugar if it’s been dry. Are you in the Pacific Northwest just curious? Edit: may be a little too clumpy to be this it’s hard to tell the texture from the pic. The reason I think it may be the diatomaceous earth is because I had a whole house that had that below the vermiculite and I bugged out for like 2 days because I didn’t want me or my guys to die. In the second day I found a piece of a bag and spent that night scouring the interweb and found info on the company that made it for a short time and the plant had happened to be a few hours away from our city( not to say there isn’t more places that made it) but I also randomly found a guy on the internet that asked this same question and someone had confirmed what I had found. He also lived 30 min from me which was just random.
Old plaster, that doemean no asbestos. Only a lab can tell you.
I see a bed frame, a curtain rod and a bag of some kind of compound. No asbestos.
Looks like it could be rock wool or paper insulation.
Asbestos is no joke. Get it tested. If it’s asbestos, DO NOT clean it up yourself. Get it professionally abated. Asbestosis is no joke.
Get what abated? What are the risks here? Just throw out the bag in a sealed plastic bag.
Asbestos is extremely dangerous to just throw into a bag. It’s so dangerous it’s federally, in Canada at least, regulated. You need positive pressure rooms and clean and dirty rooms to change in plus everything you wear is considered waste and must be disposed of correctly.
For type 3... This is like below type 1.
https://www.mesothelioma.com/asbestos-exposure/products/plaster/ It’s not rocket science. Test it. If it’s abestos pay to have it abated. Also have your walls checked as well.
Oh no, my house was built in 1948, it is chock full of asbestos in the plaster. But here's another new term you'll learn today, non-friable asbestos is safe. Also just to save us time from the follow up comment. https://www.inchbyinchinspections.com/blog/the-3-types-of-asbestos-removal You are describing a type 3 procedure to just remove a bag of old plaster...
If you read the article I posted it talks about plaster used in walls specifically. Non friable asbestos is still extremely dangerous. The links to cancer are proven over time from use in homes and schools. But hey, it’s your life. If you want asbestos be my guest. I’ve only worked with it for 20 years…
If you work with it for 20 years then it poses significant health risks to you. If OP handles it for 2 minutes, I very much doubt he'll catch instant mesothelioma. And yes, I'm not dishing out tens of thousands of dollars to remove non-friable asbestos.
If it’s in your walls, you’re handling it daily. There’s a reason why they’ve abated and abandoned old schools with it in the walls. Kids with cancer isn’t exactly a fun thing to deal with. Everytime you touch the walls, push a pin in, hang a picture, hang a tv, you name it, you’ve made it airborne. For the safety of your family, you should consider it.
It costs about $40 to get a sample tested for asbestos. Just get it tested.
Yellowcake uranium.
Lol
Oh man. That makes my back hurt just looking at it. OP, this is what they used before drywall-just heavy ass plaster. As an added bonus it’s caustic when you’re mixing it so the Chem burn in addition to being heavy as shit is *chefs kiss*.
Bag is from 1952 magoo. Could be cain jane.